Category Archives: Lessons

by Michael Maciel It seems to me that there are two things that drive meaning in our lives: love and purpose. In the presence of love, even loving one’s cat, pushes the need for meaning to the side, if only … Continue reading →

by Michael Maciel   How much of our world is held together by our beliefs? I mean, held together in such a way that if our beliefs were disrupted, our whole world, including our sense of self, would fall apart. … Continue reading →

by Michael Maciel One of the problems that I see with most discussions about consciousness is that they tend to analyze it in terms of content, not consciousness as such. Hofstadter, if I’m understanding him correctly, seems to want to … Continue reading →

by Michael Maciel One of the reasons why we sometimes find it hard to connect with the consciousness of others is that we tend to think of it more in terms of content than as a thing in and of … Continue reading →

by Michael Maciel Bringing light into the world is a lot like house cleaning. It’s not enough to simply open the windows and air the place out. We have to actually clean up the mess, scrub the floors, and dust … Continue reading →

by Michael Maciel It must have been amazing for our earliest ancestors to witness a live chick emerge from what was before merely an amorphous goo. It was a high mystery.   Apart from the physical attributes of an egg, … Continue reading →

by Michael Maciel “I teach suffering, its origin, cessation, and path. That’s all I teach.” – Buddha Sometimes, the best way to understand your religion is by understanding someone else’s. Because if it’s universal truths we’re talking about, then those … Continue reading →

by Michael Maciel You either control your own destiny or you let others control it for you. Does the word “control” bother you? Sounds like hubris, doesn’t it, as if we have any say over what the universe does or … Continue reading →

by Michael Maciel If we blanketly assume that our favorite beliefs are true, then we’re no better than the average fundamentalist. And being convinced that we have the corner on the market in the reality department renders us completely incapable … Continue reading →

    Thursday: FOR THE EARTH IS NOW IN THE ASHES OF RUIN, THE SINS COMMITTED SINCE OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST WAS ON EARTH IN A HUMAN BODY. THE RENAISSANCE OF WAR AND PESTILENCE AND UNBELIEF. O FATHER, WE LOOK … Continue reading →